Bill Cassidy leads Louisiana pack in chase for U.S. House campaign cash

Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, set the pace for fundraising for the last quarter of 2011 among the seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana. Cassidy, who is known to be contemplating a challenge to Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., in 2014, raised $231,008 the final three months of 2011, spent $44,788 and had $1.5 million in the bank at year's end, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge

A little less than half of Cassidy's contributions came from political action committees -- many in the health care field -- but also including $1,000 from House Speaker John Boehner's Freedom Project.

Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, was the second-biggest fundraiser, collecting $222,247 the last quarter of 2011, including $5,000 from Boehner's PAC, and leaving him with $1.27 million in the bank heading into 2012, when he might face a challenge from fellow Republican Rep. Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia, because of the consolidation of the state's seven districts into six. Landry raised $189,260 in the quarter and had $534,147 in the bank.

Rep. Cedric Richmond of New Orleans, the only Democrat in the House delegation, raised $153,945 in the final quarter, spent $47,992 and had a balance of just under $250,000.

About a third of Richmond's money came from individuals and the rest from political action committees.

Richmond's largest expenditure was about $20,000 for consulting to the Washington-based Political Development Group.

Richmond's campaign also gave $1,500 to the J.P. Morrell Campaign Fund and $1,000 each to the campaign funds of Donald Cravins, Lydia Jackson, Mark Spears, Patricia Haynes Smith and the Rutledge campaign in Baton Rouge. His campaign gave a $500 donation to Saint Anna's Episcopal Church and $500 to Stronger Hope Baptist Church, both in New Orleans, and $500 to the East Jefferson YMCA

Richmond also retired some of his outstanding debt, paying $7,000 to Third Coast Research, an opposition research firm in Chicago that worked for Richmond's earlier, unsuccessful congressional campaign.

Richmond is a freshman who will seek a second term in a district that, while still rooted in New Orleans, snakes its way toward Baton Rouge. So far, there is no indication that any challenger has designs on the new district.

Among those giving to Richmond was Wendell Pierce, the actor who has a leading role on the HBO series "Treme." He donated $2,400.

Rep. John Fleming, R-Minden, raised $148,164, about a third from PACs, spent just under $120,000 and had a little more than $400,000 in cash on hand.

Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, raised $94,130, two-thirds of it from political action committees, and had $588,718 in the bank.

The Scalise campaign spent $135,255, including nearly $15,000 in fundraising fees to Nungesser Consulting in Baton Rouge, and $45,000 to the Levatino Group in Washington for fundraising help.

What is also apparent from the Scalise FEC report is that his campaign likes to eat well when it plots strategy. According to the report, the campaign paid for the following dinner meetings: $268 at Morton's of Chicago in Chicago; $377 at Galatoire's in New Orleans; $169.26 at Mansurs on the Boulevard in Baton Rouge; and, in Washington, $360 at Acadiana Restaurant and $270 at the Old Ebbitt Grill.

By contrast, the campaign of Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman, according to his FEC report, talked tactics over more plebeian fare at Fox's Pizza Den, Scott Catfish & Seafood, the Dawg House Sports Grill, El Toro and Chili's, all in Ruston.

Altogether, Alexander had $91,825 in receipts, including a $5,000 contribution from former Rep. Bill Tauzin and $2,000 from his son, Thomas Tauzin. Alexander spent $108,005 and had $89,850 in cash.

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Jonathan Tilove can be reached at jtilove@timespicayune.com or 202.450.1404.